Helping Hands Lead Orphan Baby Porpoise to Safety (Video)

RAYONG — On Saturday, a week-old and barely floating baby porpoise bobbed ashore at Khlong Yai Beach, crying out for its mother.

Heeding its calls, marine rescuers are now taking care of the newborn, endangered mammal that beached on the gulf shore just a few days ago after it became separated from its mother in rough seas. The baby porpoise was stealing hearts online Monday after videos spread showing the touching scene of its rescue.

“Normally, I don’t name them because they die,” said Weerapong Laovetchprasit, a government marine veterinarian in Rayong. “Or should I just name him? Let’s call him Whipped Cream, since he doesn’t get to drink milk.”

In the video, Whipped Cream is seen paddling between two handlers in ankle-deep water, much like a toddler imprinting on its guardians.

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Whipped Cream will need more help to fully recover before he’s released back into the wild.

“He can’t control his buoyancy yet and has (difficulty breathing),” Weerapong said. “We X-rayed him and found he’s in the early stages of anemia.”

Whipped Cream is also suffering from dehydration and is being treated with antibiotics, sedatives and milk replacements since he became separated before being weaned from his mother.

Weerapong says the mammals he finds are usually dead. Finless porpoises are the only porpoises found in Thailand and were declared endangered in December due to careless fishing practices.

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“Today we just found another dead one, a bit older than Whipped Cream,” he said.

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